Friday, September 7, 2012

Hunting for hot peppers in Amish country

Last Wednesday when we went to the Amish Produce Auction we purchased a large amount of green tomatoes. Well what to do with all of them, you can only eat so many fried green tomatoes before you don't want to any more. Rog looked up on the internet, great place, and found a recipe for green tomato salsa. I did not know if this would be any good at all. It is made just like regular salsa and it tastes great. Who knew. We were missing one key ingredient, well with only 5 ingredients I guess all of them are pretty much important. LOL We were going to go to the store, but decided while on the road to go back to the Amish and buy from them. So off we went.On the road there we had to ford the creek. And as you can see the roads are not very wide either. It is so pleasant to drive around out here.

We also noticed that the tobacco barns are full or getting that way fast.

Wednesday when we were out here the tobacco was green and now you see it is turning very yellow. Time to get it into the barn.

They are just harvesting this tobacco, it is yellow compared to the brown in the other pics. We know this is an Amish farm because just on the other side the guys have a horse drawn wagon full of tobacco that they were unloading. Again no pics because they really would like us not to. The Amish in Ohio said that tobacco was their cash crop.Today we did not go to the auction, but drove around to the different farms to buy. They would post homemade signs out front that let you know what they sold. You drive up to a little shop or shed and they would have their wares for you to buy. We noticed lots of little children running around barefooted and in their little outfits complete with bonnets or little wide brimmed straw hats. So cute. One lady was with child and I asked her when was she due and how many children did she have. Due in November and this would be number 13. I could barely handle 2 births. This Amish settlement is located in Ethridge, Tennessee and is home of the South's largest "Old Order" Amish settlements. "Old Order" means that they have no modern conveniences: no cars, no tractors, no electricity, and no running water. That would also mean no internet no blogging, wait a cotten pick'n minute that will not due at all. LOLThe Amish came here in 1944. They arrived in a railroad car loaded with their horses, farm equipment, and household goods.There are about 250 families in Lawrence County, Tn. today. Religion and family are very important to the Amish. Their three values are religion, family and love for the land. They believe any form of worldliness is sinful. They follow the peaceful examples of Christ in all that they do.They make their living by working the land. There are several Amish schools. The children start school at age 7 and go from first through eighth grade. The school houses are small, one room buildings with all eight grades learning in one room. Amish children study reading, writing, math, English and German. As we were traveling around today we heard the mothers talking to the children in German, also at the auction they talked to each other in German. We are outsiders and are not to be trusted and are called "the English".

This is a bird feeder that we purchased today from the Amish. I think it is so cute. We even had a visitor right after we put food in it and hung it up.

In coming. This is a different kind of bird. I will try and have names for you in another blog.